
Mitzvah day this year was focused on serving the local community and in particular, the homeless and the vulnerable. In conjunction with Cheltenham Open Door, five members of the 3 Counties Liberal Jewish Community (3LJC) prepared and cooked an extensive full English breakfast: hash browns, fried bread, bacon, vegan and pork sausages, eggs, baked beans, tomatoes and black pudding. In addition some of the children in our community cooked cookies and these were distributed.
The breakfast was cooked and served to over 60 who walked through the door of the excellent premises. These serve as the hub for Cheltenham Open Door, where anyone who has fallen on hard times is welcomed, can take showers, enjoy hot drinks and the company of others in a safe, welcoming and non-judgemental environment. Our community funded the food and arranged for the use of the premises, which are not usually open on Sundays.
Cheltenham Open Door are a charity who cook regular meals for the homeless, vulnerable and lonely, offering them advice, support, clothing, toiletries, food, and hot drinks and snacks. It’s a safe space for people to come and all the members of the 3 Counties community who participated found it a rewarding and fulfilling experience. It is good to be able to put something back into the local community and this is what Mitzvah Day is essentially about.